Frozen Heart, Wilting Rose
by Moonsong Lunaris
Summary: Occuring after Sora's defeat of Xemnas, the members find themselves back in Neverwas without much explanation. Regret, sorrow, anger, and doubt circulate through the castle like blood, and one member finds the burden of his past doings too much to bear.
1. Chapter 1

A gentle word. A kind look. That's all he really wanted. But Marluxia knew he'd never get it. IV was as cold as his element. He hardly gave the Assassin the time of day, let alone a moment of his time.  
It infuriated him.  
Granted, Marluxia had royally screwed things up back in Castle Oblivion. But that had been the same as Vexen always treated him: as though he was of no use. He had not ordered Axel to kill the Academic. Zexion did.  
Marluxia scowled as he thought of that, setting down the shears he'd been using to prune the special rose bush he'd been working on so hard. That damned Schemer. Using an illusion of him to force Axel to do what he wanted. Marluxia still hadn't forgiven the youngest member of the organization. He never planned to.  
When they all returned to life after Sora defeated the Superior, Marluxia had tried to explain. Vexen hadn't believed him. He still didn't. Marluxia sighed. Pushing away from the plant, he thought of how useless it was to keep trying.  
Vexen didn't care. Couldn't, according to Xemnas. But, if that's true, why does the rejection hurt so much?  
Marluxia left his room, just missing the pure blue rose blooming.  
----  
Vexen was not happy. The Superior's latest orders infuriated the Academic. Work with Marluxia? That traitor?!? The nerve! With luck, this experiment wouldn't take long, and Vexen would be back in his lab, perfectly content.  
He didn't knock when he reached the assassin's door. He simple threw it open. "XI. We have orders to work together." Glancing around the room, he realized Marluxia wasn't even here. Scowling, he turned to leave, but something caught his eye.  
Sitting on the table, next to an open book, sat a rosebush, with a single, perfect blue rose. Vexen stared at it. Blue roses were legend, nigh impossible to grow. How had he done it?  
Turning his gaze to the open book, Vexen realized that it was a journal. Picking it up, he began to read.  
_June 6.  
I've been working on the project for months, ever since we found ourselves alive again. I've wanted to prove to Vexen that I had nothing to do with his death, for he still doesn't believe me. I know nothing of science, but I have my botany. Perhaps that will bridge the gap.  
June 9.  
Another argument with Vexen. He refuse to believe me, and it hurts.  
June 14.  
He is now refusing to look at me. I have come to dread our meetings, for the cold words he uses. I feel like a delicate flower, suffering in the first frost.  
June 20.  
I haven't left my room for days, now. It's easier, so easier, to stay here and work on my project. seeking to create the blue rose is sure to be more fruitful than looking for any kindness from Vexen.  
June 25.  
Zexion was in the lounge, gloating to the others how he did it. How he went behind my back to order Vexen's death. Axel nearly killed him for using him. I wanted to kill Zexion for taking Vexen. Perhaps I'll sneak a cutting of Devil's snare into his bed.  
July 1.  
The bush is about to bloom, finally. But now I wonder, is this worth it? What will I do with it, if I succeed? I still can't face him. He hates me so deeply. What's the point? He wishes I would just die, and now I wonder if that would be so bad.  
July 3.  
It's blue. The bud hasn't opened yet, but I can tell. The exact, pure blue I'd hoped for. Now I have nothing to look forward to. Vexen still won't look at me, still hates me. I have found the botanist's Holy Grail. So what? There is nothing left for me now._  
Vexen stared at the last line in the journal. 'Nothing left?' There is ALWAYS something that draws the Assassin's interest. He couldn't be serious about this. ...Zexion. He admits it? He has freely said that he is the one who had me killed?  
Vexen rushed from the room, tracked down Axel. The Flurry of Dancing Flames was startled when Vexen questioned him, but confirmed the words in Marluxia's journal. He also apologized, but Vexen hardly heard it. Concern flooded his system, mingling with self-anger. How could he have been so stubborn and foolish?!?  
----  
Marluxia stood in the Dark City that surrounded the Castle that Never Was. What was the point? None of the others knew or cared that he had created his masterpiece, his life's work. He could see no reason to continue.  
He sighed, the constant rain that fell on the City soaking him to the skin. He'd never been well liked. True, it was his ego. but not one had noticed the change in him over the past months. No one had noticed him at all.  
Marluxia laughed suddenly. Xemnas was wrong. We must have hearts. Why else would it hurt so?  
The scythe appeared in his hand, the blade sharp and strong enough to slice through steel. After today, they won't have to ignore me anymore. What's the point of ignoring something that no longer exists?


	2. Chapter 2

Vexen ran for all he was worth. Marluxia hadn't been in the castle at all. The Academic cursed softly. Such an ass he'd been! Unbelieving, indifferent, oblivious. He cursed again as he hurtled through the empty streets of the Dark City. It would take a miracle to get Marluxia to believe him.

The metallic scent hit him before he saw anything. Turning a corner, Vexen stopped dead in his tracks, the blood chilling in his veins. There lay the Assassin, prone, in a great pool of blood, the scythe lying nearby, its edge dripping crimson.

---------

Marluxia's vision was blurred; his hearing, muffled. The pain in his wrists from the scythe slicing them had dulled as the blood poured out. He could have sworn, though, that he heard Vexen scream his name just before he blacked out.

---------

Vexen ran to the Assassin's side, knowing that he was close to fading. Thin black wisps curled, nearly invisible, from Marluxia's body. Vexen saw that the younger Nobody had slit his own wrists. Swiftly, he encased Marluxia's hands and arms in ice, to slow the bleeding. The Assassin didn't respond. Now desperate, he summoned a Dusk, ordering it to get help from the castle. Minutes later, Axel appeared, staring in horror. "What happened?!? What attacked him?"

"No one," Vexen replied grimly.

"What? Wait, you mean-" Realization sparked in Axel's eyes.

"Yes," Vexen murmured, feeling sick. "And I fear it's my fault."

---------

Vexen helped Axel Bring the Assassin back to the Castle. They brought him to Vexen's rooms, so the Academic could keep a closer eye on him, and work to nurse him back to health. After placing Marluxia on the bed, Axel stumbled out of the room with a hurried goodbye to Vexen, still badly shaken. Vexen set to work tending to Marluxia's wounds. It was a miracle he'd lasted this long, he thought. It may take another one to pull him through.

---------

Things were hazy for Marluxia. He felt as though he were floating for the longest time. He could have sworn that his muscles had disappeared. Every so often, he could hear someone speaking, though he couldn't quite catch the words.

After a while, the floating feeling began to fade, and with it, the weakness. Slowly, the words became clearer, but they were softly spoken, and didn't make much sense. Marluxia came to realize that it was Vexen speaking. A couple of times, he could have sworn that Vexen was trying to talk to him directly. But Marluxia simply didn't have the strength to respond.

---------

Vexen scribbled something out on the report. He'd been forced to complete the experiment on his own. Xemnas refused to allow Vexen to put it on the back burner. The Academic scowled; The Superior did not care about any of the Neophytes. He barely cared about the other members of the original assistants to Ansem the Wise. Vexen glanced at Marluxia, deeply asleep on the scientist's bed. For the past month , he'd lain there, not moving. His wrists had healed, but other than that, the Assassin's recovery was slow. Vexen feared brain damage from the lack of blood. He cursed himself softly, turning back to the report.

---------

Marluxia heard the soft curse, and the scratching of pen to paper. Still, he could not move, could not speak. But he could think. Why was Vexen watching over him like this? Didn't the Academic hate him? What had changed? He thought for a time. Then, finally, it came to him. His journal. He'd left it open when he left his room. Perhaps Vexen had come looking for him for some reason, and read it. Marluxia would have sighed if he could. That must explain it, he thought. But still, why the change? Vexen had hated him, even before Oblivion, why change now, possibly for something he'd read?

---------

Another week passed. Vexen had been working tirelessly on various orders from the Superior, now barely having time to care for Marluxia. Finally, having completed a particularly long report, he fell asleep at his desk, utterly exhausted. A scant hour later, Marluxia finally opened his eyes. The first thing they fell upon was a small rose bush, with several full, pure blue roses.

-------------------------------------------

Ok, chapter two ends. BUT, the story does continue. However, I am afraid I haven't got any more chapters at this point in time. Alas, I've no inspiration. I know what happens next, but I cannot get myself interested enough to write it. Ah, well. Que sera, sera. Hope you liked this chapter. Also, be on the lookout for a couple of stories I've been working on for some time now. Two stories, to be exact.


End file.
